Back when I was a kid, I used to play with these little Alphabet Robot toys. They were a little like Transformers, except instead of turning from a car or a jet into a robot, they transformed from capital letters. I would take the Letter A robot with me everywhere, but the funny thing is I've not thought about that little robot for years until I stumbled across this retro-inspired watch from HAUTLENCE. It's called the RETROVISION '85, and it's essentially an Alphabet Robot for adults with the added bonus of being an insanely cool watch at the same time.
In reality, the RETROVISION '85 bears more resemblance to the Kronoform action figures of the 80s, the Transforming watch toys that still sell on eBay for a pretty penny. Everything was better when it was a robot back when I was a kid (I'm talking about Optimus Prime-style robots and not AI), and while those watches were certainly on every child's wishlist, the timepiece we're talking about today is a heck of a lot rarer and certainly not a toy.
Speaking on their new nostalgia-evoking creation, a spokesperson for HAUTLENCE said, 'This model sends the wearer back to the 80s. This was the era of Saturday morning cartoons where robots battled it out to save the universe. The very early years of home gaming, where the graphics were pixellated but the imagination knew no bounds. Capturing this spirit, the RETROVISION ’85 has been designed to resonate with all of these memories, to tempt all who have been able to carry this love of the extraordinary into their adult years.'
Inside each RETROVISION '85 watch is the beating heart of your little robot timekeeping overlord, HAUTLENCE's famous Vagabonde Tourbillon movement. Watch as cogs move in your robot's chest, giving it a life of its own as you remove it from the strap and fold out its arms and legs to create a free-standing figurine. If I was next to right now I would probably shout 'IT LIVES' really loudly, but I'm not... so you'll just have to imagine it.
Remember when I said that this wasn't a toy, however? HAUTLENCE are only making eight of the RETROVISION '85 watches worldwide. These watches are works of art oozing with nostalgia, an example of how form and function can combine to create something truly unique and captivating... as well as being a super cool robot. The HAUTLENCE website doesn't show the prices of their watches, so I imagine it's a case of 'if you have to ask how much it is, then you don't have enough'. Still, I would love to know how much one of these would set me back, though I imagine I would want my watch robot to be able to cook and clean for me for the price it would cost!
